JP6987446B2 - Fire extinguishing system and fire extinguishing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fire extinguishing system and a fire extinguishing method, and more specifically, to a fire extinguishing system and a fire extinguishing method using an unmanned flying object such as a multicopter.

As a fire extinguishing method or a fire extinguishing system for extinguishing a fire in a high place such as a mountainous area or a high-rise building, for example, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1 below. The fire extinguishing method of Patent Document 1 is to use a nozzle to extinguish fire water sent through the slope to the outside and / or inside or forest of a target building such as a shrine, a temple, or a general house built on a slope such as a mountain or a hill. Water is sprayed through.

Further, the aerial spray type fire extinguisher described in Patent Document 2 below can be mounted on a flying object, and the fire extinguishing agent is provided in the center of the bottom plate of a closed container filled with the fire extinguishing agent. A valve body that can open and close this discharge port from the inside of the container is provided so as to constantly urge the discharge port to close, and one end of the valve body penetrates the upper surface of the container and can be locked to the flying object. The valve body is connected to the other end of the wire so that the valve body can be opened by the tension of the wire.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-337213 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-118209

However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 described above has a problem that the nozzle must be embedded in the slope in advance and the fire cannot be extinguished in a place where the nozzle is not embedded. Further, in the technique described in Patent Document 2, since a container filled with a fire extinguishing agent is dropped by one helicopter or the like, the amount of the fire extinguishing agent that can be carried is limited, and there is a possibility that the fire cannot be extinguished efficiently in the case of a large-scale fire. There is. In addition, because of manned flight, there is a problem that it is difficult to approach dangerous places and extinguish the fire.

The present invention focuses on the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fire extinguishing system and a fire extinguishing method capable of efficiently extinguishing a fire in a high place such as a mountainous area or a high-rise building.

The fire extinguishing system of the present invention is provided in a plurality of unmanned air vehicles flying in the air, a water supply hose in which a plurality of places are held by the plurality of unmanned air vehicles, and the water supply hoses provided in the plurality of unmanned air vehicles. A holding means for holding, a water supply pump for supplying water from a water source to the water supply hose, an auxiliary pump provided in the holding means for pressurizing the water in the water supply hose to the outlet side of the water supply hose, and the above. It is provided in a plurality of unmanned vehicles, and is provided with a control means for controlling the flight of the unmanned vehicle and controlling the operation of the auxiliary pump, and a power supply means for supplying power to the plurality of unmanned vehicles. And said. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently extinguish a fire in a high place such as a mountainous area or a high-rise building. In addition, it is possible to extinguish a fire in a dangerous place because it is unmanned.

In one of the main forms, the holding means is provided with a water storage means connected to the water supply hose, and the water stored in the water storage means is transferred to the water discharge port side of the water supply hose by the auxiliary pump. It is characterized by pressurized water supply. As a result, even if the fire extinguishing activity is performed at a high place, the fire extinguishing activity can be surely performed without insufficient pumping pressure.

In one of the other forms, since the plurality of unmanned aircraft are provided with a relay means for communication and a wired communication cable is connected via the relay means, the plurality of unmanned aircraft can communicate with each other. Is. Therefore, there is no possibility of interference.

One of still other forms is characterized in that the wired communication cable is integrally formed with the water supply hose. Therefore, it can be routed integrally with the water supply hose, and workability is good.

One of still other forms is characterized in that the power feeding means is a power feeding cable. Therefore, there is no risk of power shortage as in the case of the rechargeable type.

One of still other forms is characterized in that the power supply cable is integrally formed with the water supply hose. Therefore, it can be routed integrally with the water supply hose, and workability is good.

In yet another form, the control means of the leading unmanned vehicle located closest to the outlet of the water supply hose transmits a control signal regarding flight to the control means of the subsequent unmanned vehicle, and the control thereof is performed. The control means of the succeeding unmanned aircraft that has received the signal controls the flight of the unmanned aircraft based on the received control signal, and if there is a subsequent unmanned aircraft, the control means of the succeeding unmanned aircraft. It was decided to send a control signal regarding flight to the control means. Therefore, flight control can be sequentially performed from the unmanned air vehicle at the beginning to the unmanned air vehicle at the end, and formation control becomes easy.

In still another form, the holding means includes a tension detecting means for detecting the tension applied to the water supply hose held between the holding means and the adjacent unmanned flying body, and controls the leading unmanned flying body. The means determines the direction of the succeeding unmanned vehicle based on the tension detected by the tension detecting means, transmits a control signal regarding flight to the control means of the succeeding unmanned vehicle based on the determined direction, and the above-mentioned The control means of the succeeding unmanned vehicle that has received the control signal controls the flight of the unmanned vehicle based on the received control signal, and if there is a subsequent unmanned vehicle, the tension detecting means is used. It was decided to determine the direction of the following unmanned aircraft based on the detected tension, and to transmit a flight control signal to the following unmanned aircraft based on the determined direction. Therefore, more accurate flight control can be performed based on the determined direction.

Still another form is a wireless communication means provided in the leading unmanned vehicle and a remote control means for remotely controlling the flight control of the leading unmanned vehicle via the wireless communication means. I decided to prepare. Therefore, it is possible to more accurately control the flight of the leading unmanned aircraft based on objective information from the outside.

The fire extinguishing method of the present invention utilizes the fire extinguishing system according to any one of the above, a step of supplying water from the water source to the water supply hose by the water supply pump, and an auxiliary pump provided in the holding means of the plurality of unmanned vehicles. By the step of sequentially pressurizing and supplying the water in the water supply hose from the water source to the water discharge port side of the water supply hose, and by the auxiliary pump provided in the holding means of the unmanned vehicle at the head, from the water discharge port. It was decided to include a step of discharging water to the target position of water discharge. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently extinguish a fire in a high place such as a mountainous area or a high-rise building. In addition, it is possible to extinguish a fire in a dangerous place because it is unmanned.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clarified from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently extinguish a fire in a high place such as a mountainous area or a high-rise building. In addition, it is possible to extinguish a fire in a dangerous place because it is unmanned.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the whole structure of a fire extinguishing system. It is a perspective view which shows the holding means suspended from an unmanned vehicle in an enlarged manner. It is a perspective view which shows the holding means suspended from the leading unmanned aircraft in an enlarged manner. It is a figure which shows the structure of the holding means. It is a figure which shows the cross section of a water supply hose. It is a functional block diagram relating to the unmanned air vehicle at the head which constitutes a fire extinguishing system.

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail. First, an outline of the overall configuration of the fire extinguishing system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. The fire extinguishing system 100 according to the present embodiment uses a plurality of unmanned flying objects 10 flying in the air to extinguish a fire in a high place such as a mountainous area or a high-rise building.

As the unmanned aircraft 10, for example, a multicopter or the like can be used. The unmanned vehicle 10 has a plurality of rotors 54, and the rotors 54 are connected to a motor 52 (see FIG. 6). By controlling the motor 52 by the control unit 50, the flight of the unmanned vehicle 10 is controlled.

Holding means 20 and 20'are suspended from each of the plurality of unmanned flying objects 10, and the hose 30 is held by the holding means 20 and 20', respectively. That is, a plurality of places of the hose 30 are held by the unmanned flying object 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the holding means 20 is formed in a box shape, for example, and the metal fitting 22 provided on the upper surface thereof is hooked with the connecting tool 14 at the tip of the hanging wire 12 hung from the unmanned flying object 10. The whole is suspended by the unmanned aircraft 10.

As shown in FIG. 5, the hose 30 is integrally formed with a water supply hose 32, a power supply cable 34, and a communication cable 36 (wired LAN cable or the like). Specifically, by arranging the power supply cable 34 and the communication cable 36 on the outside of the water supply hose 32 and covering them with the cover 38, the water supply hose 32, the power supply cable 34, and the communication cable 36 are integrally formed. By integrating the water supply hose 32, the power supply cable 34, and the communication cable 36 in this way, water supply, power supply, and communication can all be performed by simply routing the hose 30, and there is no risk of hose and cable crosstalk. Good workability.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, a water supply pump 40 is arranged in the vicinity of a water source 44 such as the sea or a river, and fire extinguishing water is pumped up through a hose 42 and sent to the water supply hose 32.

The holding means 20 and 20'are provided with an auxiliary pump 26 for pressurizing the water in the water supply hose 32 toward the discharge port 32A and a water storage tank 24, respectively. A considerable pumping pressure is required to send water to a high place, but only the water supply pump 40 located closest to the water source 44 can send water to the leading unmanned aircraft 10 closest to the water discharge location. There is a risk of insufficient feeding pressure.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, by providing the water storage tank 24 and the auxiliary pump 26 for pressurization in each holding means 20, the shortage of the pumping pressure is compensated and water is surely sent to the water discharge port 32A. Power for driving is supplied to the auxiliary pump 26 from the power supply cable 34 in the hose 30. Further, the auxiliary pump 26 is connected to the control unit 50 of the unmanned flying object 10 and its drive is controlled.

Further, the holding means 20 is provided with a tension sensor 28. The tension sensor 28 detects the tension applied to the hose 30 held between the tension sensor 28 and the adjacent unmanned flying object 10. In the present embodiment, as will be described later, the direction of the succeeding unmanned vehicle 10 is determined based on the tension detected by the tension sensor 28, and the control unit 50 of the succeeding unmanned vehicle 10 is determined based on the determined direction. Sends flight control signals.

Further, a branch cable 46 in which the power supply cable and the communication cable are branched from the hose 30 is connected to the unmanned vehicle 10. By connecting the power supply cable and the communication cable to the unmanned aircraft 10 by the branch cable 46, it is possible to supply electric power for flying the unmanned aircraft 10 and to perform wired communication between the unmanned aircraft 10. Become.

FIG. 6 shows a functional block diagram relating to one unmanned air vehicle constituting the fire extinguishing system 100. The figure shows the leading unmanned aerial vehicle 10 as a representative. The unmanned vehicle 10 is mainly composed of a control unit 50 that controls the flight of the unmanned vehicle 10 and the operation of the auxiliary pump 26.

An auxiliary pump 26, a tension sensor 28, a motor 52, a communication unit 60, a storage unit 70, a GPS receiving unit 72, and an image pickup device 74 are connected to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 is a central processing unit (CPU) and is connected to the power supply cable 34 via the branch cable 46 to supply electric power.

The motor 52 rotates the rotary blade 54 of the unmanned flying object 10, power is supplied via the control unit 50, and the rotation is controlled to a speed instructed by the control unit 50. The rotational power of the motor 52 is transmitted to the rotary blade 54, and the rotary blade 54 is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed. The motor 52 is provided in the same number as the rotary blades 54, and can be controlled for each of the plurality of rotary blades 54.

The control unit 50 communicates with the adjacent unmanned aircraft 10 and the remote control unit 80 via the communication unit 60. The communication unit 60 includes a communication repeater (for example, a router) and is connected to the communication cable 36 via the branch cable 46.

If all of the plurality of unmanned aircraft 10 are remotely controlled by wireless communication such as Wi-Fi, interference is unavoidable in the 2.4 GHz band (ISM band), and platoon control is difficult. However, in the present embodiment, as will be described later, only the leading unmanned aircraft 10 closest to the water discharge location is remotely controlled, and flight control signals are sequentially transmitted to the subsequent unmanned aircraft 10 by wire communication. Since it was decided, the problem of interference does not occur.

Further, an antenna 62 for performing wireless communication is connected to the communication unit 60. The unmanned aircraft 10 can be remotely controlled by wirelessly communicating with the remote control unit 80 via the antenna 62. Although such remote control is possible for all unmanned aerial vehicles 10, in the present embodiment, only the leading unmanned aerial vehicle 10 is to perform wireless communication with the remote control unit 80.

The storage unit 70 is composed of a RAM or a ROM. The storage unit 70 stores data related to flight, detection results detected by the tension sensor 28, data captured by the image pickup device 74, and the like. In addition, when the unmanned flying object 10 is autonomously controlled, a program for autonomous control and the like are stored in the storage unit 70.

The GPS receiving unit 72 acquires the position information of the unmanned flying object 10. Further, the image pickup device 74 captures an image. The position information received by the GPS receiving unit 72 and the image data captured by the imaging device 74 are stored in the storage unit 70. Further, if necessary, these stored data may be transmitted to the adjacent unmanned aircraft 10 by wire communication and used for flight control or the like.

Next, flight control in the fire extinguishing system 100 according to the present embodiment will be described. In the following description, the unmanned aircraft 10 that holds the position closest to the outlet 32A of the water supply hose 32 is referred to as the leading unmanned aircraft, and the subsequent unmanned aircraft 10 is referred to as the subsequent unmanned aircraft, which is a water source. The unmanned air vehicle 10 at the position closest to 44 is referred to as the rearmost unmanned air vehicle.

In the present embodiment, the leading unmanned aircraft 10 is flight-controlled by the remote control unit 80 by wireless communication. The control signal from the remote control unit 80 is sent to the control unit 50 via the antenna 62 and the communication unit 60, and the control unit 50 controls the drive of the motor 52 based on the received control signal.

The control unit 50 of the leading unmanned vehicle 10 determines the direction of the succeeding unmanned vehicle 10 based on the tension detected by the tension sensor 28, and controls the succeeding unmanned vehicle 10 based on the determined direction. A flight control signal is transmitted to the unit 50 via the communication unit 60 and the communication cable 36.

The control unit 50 of the subsequent unmanned vehicle 10 that has received the flight control signal controls the flight of the unmanned vehicle 10 based on the received control signal. If there is a subsequent unmanned flight object 10, the direction of the subsequent unmanned flight object 10 is further determined based on the tension detected by the tension sensor 28, and the subsequent unmanned flight is further determined based on the determined direction. A flight control signal is transmitted to the body 10 via the communication unit 60 and the communication cable 36. The transmission of the control signal as described above is sequentially performed up to the rearmost unmanned aircraft 10, that is, the unmanned aircraft 10 arranged closest to the water source 44.

Explaining the procedure of fire extinguishing using the fire extinguishing system 100 of the present embodiment, first, water is sent from the water source 44 to the water supply hose 32 by the water supply pump 40. Then, water is stored in the water tank 24 provided in the holding means 20 of the unmanned aircraft 10 arranged at the position closest to the water source 44. Next, the auxiliary pump 26 pressurizes and sends the water stored in the water storage tank 24 to the water supply hose 32 held between the water storage tank 24 and the adjacent unmanned flying object 10.

The above-mentioned pressurized water supply is sequentially performed up to the water discharge port 32A of the water supply hose 32, and water is discharged from the water discharge port 32A to the water discharge target position by the auxiliary pump 26 provided in the holding means 20'of the unmanned air vehicle 10 at the head. The operation control of the auxiliary pump 26 is performed by the control unit 50. As a result, even in the case of a fire at a high place such as a forest fire, it is possible to extinguish the fire using a hose by the plurality of unmanned flying objects 10.

As described above, the fire extinguishing system of the present embodiment has the following advantageous effects.
(1) A plurality of unmanned flying objects 10 flying in the air, a water supply hose 32 in which a plurality of places are held by holding means 20 and 20'suspended from the unmanned flying object 10, and water supply from the water source 44 to the water supply hose 32. The water supply pump 40, the auxiliary pump 26 provided in the holding means 20 and 20'to pressurize the water in the water supply hose 32 to the water discharge port 32A side, and the flight control of the unmanned vehicle 10 and the operation control of the auxiliary pump 26 are performed. It is decided to include a control unit 50 for performing the operation and a power supply cable 34 for supplying power to the unmanned aircraft 10. Therefore, fire extinguishing activities at high places can be efficiently performed. In addition, since fire extinguishing activities are carried out unattended, it is possible to extinguish fires in places where there is a risk of danger if manned.
(2) A water storage tank 24 is provided in the holding means 20 and 20', and the water stored in the water storage tank 24 by the auxiliary pump 26 is pressurized and sent to the water discharge port 32A side of the water supply hose 32. Even if the fire is extinguished in Japan, the pumping pressure will not be insufficient.
(3) The unmanned aircraft 10 has a communication unit 60, and a plurality of radio aircraft 10 can communicate with each other by a communication cable 36 connected to a relay means (router or the like) provided in the communication unit 60. Therefore, by sequentially sending control signals related to flight to adjacent subsequent radio air vehicles 10 without remotely controlling each unmanned air vehicle 10, platoon control of a plurality of unmanned air vehicles 10 without interference occurs. Becomes easier.
(4) Since the communication cable 36 is integrally formed with the water supply hose 32, wiring for water supply and communication is possible only by routing the hose 30, and workability is good without crosstalk.
(5) Since the power supply cable 34 is integrally formed with the water supply hose 32, wiring for water supply and power supply is possible only by routing the hose 30, and workability is good without crosstalk.
(6) The control unit 50 of the leading unmanned aircraft 10 arranged closest to the water supply port 32A of the water supply hose 32 transmits a flight control signal to the control unit 50 of the subsequent unmanned aircraft, and sends the control signal. The control unit 50 of the succeeding unmanned vehicle 10 that has received the flight controls the flight of the unmanned vehicle 10 based on the received control signal, and if there is a succeeding unmanned vehicle 10, the subsequent unmanned vehicle 10 is further controlled. It was decided to transmit a control signal related to flight to the control unit 50 of 10. Therefore, it is possible to sequentially control the flight from the first unmanned aircraft 10 to the last unmanned aircraft. That is, since only the leading unmanned aircraft 10 needs to be operated by remote control or self-sustaining control, platoon control can be easily performed without causing interference of wireless communication or the like.
(7) Tension sensors 28 are provided in the holding means 20 and 20', the direction of the succeeding unmanned vehicle 10 is determined based on the tension detected by the tension sensor 28, and the subsequent unmanned flight is determined based on the determined direction. Since it was decided to sequentially transmit control signals related to flight to the body 10, more accurate flight control becomes possible.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the following are also included.
(1) In the above embodiment, the wired power supply using the power supply cable 34 is used, but this is also an example and does not prevent the wireless power supply.
(2) In the above embodiment, the bus type is used in which the power supply cable 34 and the communication cable 36 are connected from the hose 30 to each unmanned vehicle 10 by the branch cable 46, but this is also an example and is not limited to the bus type. No.
(3) In the above embodiment, the leading unmanned aircraft 10 is remotely controlled by wireless communication with the remote control unit 80, but this is also an example and does not prevent autonomous control.
(4) In the above embodiment, the tension sensor 28 grasps the direction of the following unmanned flying object 10 to perform flight control, but this is also an example and is based on the position information acquired by the GPS receiving unit 72. Even if you try to control the flight. Further, flight control may be performed based on the image acquired by the image pickup device 74. Of course, these flight controls may be combined.
(5) In the above-described embodiment, the flight control signal is sequentially transmitted from the head unmanned vehicle 10 to the rearmost unmanned vehicle 10, but it is prevented from controlling each unmanned vehicle 10 individually. It's not a thing. Further, the configuration may be such that the individual flight control and the relay type flight control shown in the above embodiment can be switched.
(6) The image taken by the image pickup means 74 of the leading unmanned flying object 10 is transmitted to the remote control device 80, and the position of the leading unmanned flying object 10 is determined while checking the image received by the remote control unit 80 side. By controlling it, more accurate fire extinguishing activities may be performed.

According to the present invention, the water supply hose is held by a plurality of unmanned flying objects, and pressurized water is sent to the outlet by using an auxiliary pump provided in each unmanned flying object, which is suitable for use in a fire extinguishing system. .. In particular, it is suitable for fire extinguishing activities in high places such as mountainous areas and high-rise buildings, and in places where people are difficult to enter.

10: Unmanned flying object 12: Suspended wire 14: Connector 20: Holding means 22: Metal fittings 24: Water tank 26: Auxiliary pump 28: Tension sensor 30: Hose 32: Water supply hose 32A: Water outlet 34: Power supply cable 36: Communication cable 38: Cover 40: Water supply pump 42: Hose 44: Water source 46: Branch cable 50: Control unit 52: Motor 54: Rotating blade 60: Communication unit 62: Antenna 70: Storage unit 72: GPS receiver 74: Imaging device 80: Remote control unit 100: Fire extinguishing system

Claims (2)

A fire extinguishing system with multiple unmanned aircraft
A water supply hose suspended and held from each of the unmanned air vehicles in a manner of connecting the plurality of unmanned air vehicles in a row in the air, and a water supply hose.
A holding means provided on each of the unmanned aircraft to hold the water supply hose, and
A water supply pump that sends water from a water source on the ground to the water supply hose,
An auxiliary pump provided in each of the holding means and pressurizing the water in the water supply hose to the water discharge port side of the water supply hose.
A control means provided for each unmanned vehicle to control the flight of the unmanned vehicle and control the operation of the auxiliary pump.
A power supply cable that is integrally formed with the water supply hose and supplies electric power to each of the unmanned aircraft.
A wired communication cable integrally formed with the water supply hose is provided.
Here, the plurality of unmanned aircraft can be controlled to communicate with each other via the wired communication cable.
Each of the holding means further includes a tension detecting means for detecting the tension applied to the water supply hose held between the holding means and the unmanned flying object adjacent to each other.
The control means of one unmanned vehicle determines the direction of another adjacent unmanned vehicle based on the tension detected by the tension detecting means of the unmanned vehicle, and the other unmanned vehicle is based on the determined direction. Sends flight control signals to the vehicle's control means,
A fire extinguishing system, wherein the control means of the other unmanned vehicle controls the flight of the other unmanned vehicle based on the received control signal. A fire extinguishing method using the fire extinguishing system according to claim 1.
The step of sending water from the water source to the water supply hose by the water supply pump, and
A step of sequentially pressurizing and sending water in the water supply hose from the water source to the outlet side of the water supply hose by an auxiliary pump provided in the holding means of the plurality of unmanned vehicles.
A fire extinguishing method comprising a step of discharging water from the water discharge port to a water discharge target position by an auxiliary pump provided in a holding means of an unmanned vehicle flying at the head.

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